Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine










































































































































 -  No other desire prompted us but that of
attempting to place prominently before the public the spots with which
history - Page 211
Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine - Page 211 of 451 - First - Home

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No Other Desire Prompted Us But That Of Attempting To Place Prominently Before The Public The Spots With Which History Or Nature Has More Specially Enriched Quebec.

Quebecers ought to be proud of their scenery and of the historical ivy which clings to the old walls of Stadacona.

Neighbouring cities may grow vast with brick and mortar; their commerce may advance with the stride of a young giant; their citizens may sit in high places among the sons of men, but can they ever compare with our own fortress for historical memories or beautiful scenery? We shall assign the first place to the mansion which still crowns the Montmorenci Falls, once the abode of the father of our Sovereign; we shall then view the residences on the St. Lewis road in succession, then those along the St. Foy road, and finally close this paper with the description of other remarkable spots in the neighborhood of Quebec. - Lorette, Chateau Bigot, Montmorency Falls, Chaudiere Falls.

THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM.

"Aux plaines d'Abraham, rendez-vous des batailles, revenez voir ces lieux, oh! revenez encore, officiers du Grand Roi, revenez tous aussi, La Barre, Frontenac, Denonville, Tracy! alignez vous, soldats, Carignan et Guienne, appuyez, Languedoc et Bearn et la Reine." - Alp. de Puibusque.

"Among modern Battle-fields," says Col. (now Lt. General) Beatson, "none surpass in romantic interest the Plains or Heights of Abraham."

No Quebecer would have the hardihood to challenge the assertion of this able engineer officer, stationed here from 1849 to 1854, and who spared neither time nor pains, with the assistance of our historians and antiquarians, Ferland, Faribault and McGuire, to collect authentic information on this subject. Col. Beatson compiled a volume of historical notes, which he published in 1858, when stationed at Gibraltar. [201]

The Plains of Abraham will ever be famous, as having witnessed, more than one century back, the deadly encounter of the then two leading nations of Europe - England and France - to decide the fate of Canada - one might say (by the series of events it led to) the destinies of North America.

Of this mighty duel, which crimsoned with human gore these fields one murky September morning, in 1759 - Smollett, Carlyle, Bancroft, Hawkins, Smith, Garneau, Ferland, Miles and other historians have vied with one another to furnish a graphic account. Of the origin of the name, none until lately could tell.

"Notwithstanding," adds Col. Beatson, "the world-like celebrity of these Plains, it was not until very recently that the derivation of their name was discovered; and as it is comparatively unknown, even in Canada, the following explanation of its origin will doubtless possess attractions for such as are fond of tracing to their sources the names of celebrated localities, and who may be surprised to learn that upwards of a century previous to the final conquest of Canada by the British arms, the scene of the decisive struggle for national supremacy in the northern division of the New World had derived its name from one who, if not a Scotchman by birth, would seem to have been of Scottish lineage.

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